IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Penn, Lynx Top Wings 5-3

Published on May 3, 2006 under International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Rookie Hayden Penn held the Red Wings hitless over seven innings, and Ottawa topped the Red Wings 5-3 Wednesday night at Frontier Field. Andres Torres clubbed a three-run homer in the eighth inning off reliever Andy Mitchell for the only Rochester runs.

The game started out a defensive battle, as the Wings and Lynx entered the fourth inning hitless and scoreless, but both boasting strong defense and pitching. Jason Bartlett made the first of several sparkling plays nabbing a hard-hit grounder and Wings starter Henry Bonilla closed the first with two strikeouts. Left fielder Josh Rabe recorded impressive catches in both the second and third inning.

The Lynx crossed the plate first with a strong fourth inning. Ed Rogers doubled off Bonilla, as did Andy Tracy, driving in Rogers with his hit. The next batter, Fernando Tatis, homered to extend the Lynx lead to 3-0.

In the fifth inning, Bonilla returned to the form he showed in the first three innings. After fly out to start the inning, Bonilla struck out his third batter of the game, then made a most impressive third out. Lynx batter Esix Snead tried to a bunt up the first base line, but Bonilla was able to run down the ball, and in one motion, scoop and flip it to Garrett Jones at first just before Snead reached the bag.

Ricky Barrett came out of the Wings bullpen in the sixth inning, replacing Bonilla with a man on first. Barrett retired the next two batters to get out of the inning safely, but the Wings were still looking for their first hit of the game.

The Wings remained hitless entering the eighth, after Ottawa had added a run in the top of the eighth. Mitchell took over for Lynx starter Penn in the bottom of the eighth inning, and Rabe's lead-off single immediatly ended the Lynx no-hitter. Luis Maza was up next, and his line drive single off Mitchell's glove advanced Rabe to second as Maza safely reached first. Two batters later, Andres Torres took full advantage of the runners on-base and launched a shot over the centerfield wall, shrinking Ottawa's advantage to 4-3.

Kevin Cameron entered the game in the ninth for the Wings, replacing Barrett. He walked his first batter before Alejandro Freire laced a RBI double up the middle that made the score 5-3. Ottawa appeared ready to put the game out of reach as runners advanced to second and third on Cameron, but he was able to strike out the side and leave both men on base.

With one out in the ninth, Terry Tiffee singled to bring the tying run to the plate. Recently promoted Gil Velazquez took over for Tiffee at first as a pinch runner, and his speed proved valuable as Velazquez reached third off a Rabe single, his second clutch hit in as many innings. With runners on first and third and the winning run at the plate, Eddy Rodriguez was able to end the inning, and game, with two quick outs to record his first save.

Penn was sensational in his second Triple-A start, walking two and striking out six. Penn did not allow a baserunner until the fifth inning, when he walked Jones to start the inning but retired the next three Red Wings hitters.

Notes: Josh Rabe is the Twins Minor League Player of the Month for the month of April...Rabe, 27, batted .367 (29-79) with 6 doubles, a homer, 10 rbi, 12 walks and 15 runs scored...for the month he had a .452 on-base percentage and a .481 slugging percentage in 21 games...Currently Rabe ranks fourth in the International League in both batting average (.360) and on-base percentage (.441)...Rabe was the Twins 11th round pick in the June, 2000 free agent draft...Fort Myers pitcher Matt Garza is the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Month for the month of April, going 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA (24.1 ip, 2 er) in five starts...Garza, 22, walked just six batters while striking out 34 and held opponents to a .165 batting average...Garza, the Twins first round pick (25th overall) in the June, 2005 free agent draft, ranks second in the FSL i! n ERA, strikeouts and wins.

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International League Stories from May 3, 2006


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